How to beat jet lag

Nothing will throw a wrench in your travel plans like a ruined sleep schedule. No one wants to be fighting for their life at the Eiffel Tower or at a Michelin-starred meal they’ve been planning on for months.

Whether you believe in it or not, millions of travelers experience symptoms of jet lag on the daily, including our editors. Here are our best tips for alleviating the fatigue.

Get medicated (and have a few drinks)

I need to pass out on a red-eye flight to prevent jet lag. On my recent trip to Zimbabwe, I slept 10 of the 14 hrs with a little help from two Advil PMs and two airport martinis. Felt energized upon arrival.

- Chamidae Ford, Digital Editor

Try a jet lag supplement, like FlyKitt

I find it nearly impossible to sleep on planes, so I’ll try anything. On a recent trip from New York to Hawai‘i, I tested a customizable jet lag prevention system called FlyKitt. They mail you a pack of supplements depending on how many time zones you’re crossing, and then you sync your flight with their app, along with your preferred sleep schedule. The app notifies you when to take which supplements (for winding down at night and on the plane, energy during the day, inflammation prevention, etc), and when to put on your compression socks and the blue light glasses that come with the kit. While I still found myself rising a few hours earlier than I would have liked in Hawai‘i, I didn’t mind because the system kept my energy levels up all day. And on the red-eye back, I was even able to catch a few hours of sleep.

- Ann Douglas Lott, Digital Editor

Skip a nap upon arrival and find a body of water

Maybe this says something about the types of trips I gravitate towards, but I try to submerge in water as soon as possible after arriving. In my ideal trip, this means the ocean or a pool, but showers and baths work as well. Something about it brings me back into my body and either energizes me (if it's the morning) or helps me unwind (if it's bedtime).

- Acacia Gabriel, Associate Editor

Set your phone to your destination’s time zone upon boarding

Then act accordingly. For example, I’ll wait until it’s “bedtime” in my destination’s time zone before allowing myself to sleep on the plane. On arrival, I skip the nap (however tempting it might be!) and instead try to get as much natural sunlight, fresh air and exercise as possible.

- Jessica Lockhart, Destination Editor for Oceania

Relax and enjoy the rare chance to do nothing

I always choose a window seat and bring a small pillow and blanket, then pop on my eye mask and headphones, play an audiobook and settle in to create a little bubble for myself. From then, it’s about relaxing and enjoying the rare chance to do nothing (no phone, no meetings, no laundry!) but sit. Then, when I land, I tell myself that those hours where I properly unwound are really helping when it comes to handling any jet lag.

- Fionnuala McCarthy, Editorial Director

Hydrate and take it easy on day one

Taylor Swift said, "Jet lag is a choice," but I vehemently disagree. I always fall victim, no matter how hard I try - probably because I don't sleep well on planes in general. These days, I am team hydration, making an effort to hydrate before and during the flight (no more than a glass of wine, and a water to pair with it). I know a lot of people say stay up, but I can't do it. I usually block off the first day as "see how I feel" and take a nap when I feel it, and then try to go out and get some fresh air, exploring the city. Should I wake up in the middle of the night, I use the Olly Sleep melatonin gummies to reset my clock.

- Melissa Yeager, Destination Editor for Western USA and Canada

Monitor your caffeine intake

I'm rather meticulous about my caffeine consumption. As a certified addict, my body knows that caffeine means it's the start of the day. I try to drink according to the time zone to which I am adjusting. If I land after 2pm, I won't drink coffee until the next morning (I'm a masochist!). If the plane is serving batch coffee at my destination's morning time, I'll have a cup, even if the quality is rather disgusting and it's pitch-black out the windows.

- Acacia Gabriel

Book yourself a spa treatment

I forbid anyone I'm traveling with to mention the timezone we came from. That timezone is gone! Dead! Forget it! Then I sometimes book a spa treatment upon arrival to refresh and revitalize, or I try to get in the water, ideally a natural body, or a pool or even a bathtub as soon as I can.

- Brekke Fletcher, Senior Director of Content